The error occurs when a user tries to upgrade to Windows 8 on a machine that doesn’t support PAE, NX, and SSE2 features. Users who have are getting the error should check out the BIOS for NX entries and enable the same. If the feature isn’t available, there is no working method available to install Windows 8.

Even though most processors support these features, it makes sense to check if your PC’s CPU supports PAE, NX, and SSE2 features before starting the installation procedure. So, how to check if your PC’s processor supports above mentioned features? Simple, download and run a small command-line utility named Coreinfo to see if you can install Windows 8 on your PC.

Follow the given below instructions to know how to use the Coreinfo tool to verify if your PC’s processor supports PAE, NX, and SSE2 features.

Step 2: Open Command Prompt by entering CMD in Start menu search box and pressing enter key. If you are on Windows 8 CP or DP, switch to Start screen, type CMD and then press enter key to launch the same.

Step 3: In the command prompt and enter the full path to the coreinfo.exe file and then press the Enter key. For example, if you have saved the coreinfo.exe file on desktop, you have to enter C:\Users\YourUserName\Desktop\Coreinfo.exe and press enter key.

Step 4: In the result, check for PAE, NX, and SSE2 entries. If your processor supports a feature, you will see * character next to the feature name, and – character if not supported. As you can see the below screenshot, our processor supports PAE, NX, and SSE2 features.

the only way I ever proved this lack of capability (aside from the pop-up during 64bit install) was Coreinfo, but, I must say, it was very frustrating trying to figure out the EXACT characters to input to run the cmd. not! not! not! obvious! in fact – it was as if Microsoft Itself wrote coreinfo, well, I guess it is DOS……

I came here because I wanted to upgrade my OS from Wind7 to Wind8. Previously, I tried the Upgrade Assistant software from microsoft and the results said that my processor did not not support the “NX” thing. But, after I tried the Coreinfo software, the result was definitely different. It said that the “NX” thing was suppported. I don’t know which one is correct. I didn’t even try to install the wind8 yet. FYI, I am using Intel i3-M330 @2.13 GHz. Does anyone else have the same processor?

thank you, it worked just as in your instructions “use the cmd prompt, and type in the exact address of the coreinfo.exe location.
my hp pavillion a230n does not support.
I agree w8 is a waste of good money and will stay with w7 i read that MS is rethinking w8 and some big changes are coming soon.
ken

If your Coreinfo window closes too fast, you can make a text file in Coreinfo folder with .bat extention and following contents ‘Coreinfo.exe >>log.txt’. Run this .bat file and it will write all info in the log.txt, located in Coreinfo folder.

Hey guys if you are still looking and if coreinfo is not staying open try running in the cmd box the following: If the CMD already shows C:\Users\Yourusername>
Place the following to make it run:
downloads\coreinfo\coreinfo.exe

mikey1352 & Rick press windows key & R together then browse to the directory of the coreinfo file and then type the file name in. Window will display information
By the way my i7 720qm processor dosen’t support NX 🙁

I would much rather see an article on how to check if Windows 7 users need the upgrade to Windows 8.
–
I think we do not at all.
For us Windows 8 is a stillborn microsoft child.
There is nothing that justifies the money wasted on an upgrade.